Somewhere I Belong
by Invader Nicole
Summary: D knows he is a forever lonely Dunpeal, fear and hated by all. What happens when he saves a woman, Epiphany, who needs his help to save her sister from becoming a vampire?
1. Fear of the Dark

Hello everyone, well this is my first Vampire Hunter D fic so I hope you all enjoy it. I've never actually seen Vampiure Hunter D, I've only seen Vampire Hunter D Bloodlust so I'm sorry if I get anything off like I make D eat something and he's allergic to it or maybe some kind of weakness. I'm sorry :( Must see the first movie soon. I thought this up QUITE a while ago so it may seem Mary-Sue-ish, how sad. Please enjoy none the less, please review, and if anyone has any suggestions for the fic please send some. -Invader Nicole  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Vampire Hunter D/Bloodlust, I'm not really sure who owns it. But I do own Epiphany and Gwen.  
  
- - -  
  
'Somewhere I Belong'  
  
Chapter One: Fear of the Dark  
  
By Invader Nicole  
  
It was a quiet night in the calm and peaceful woods, the wind brushing through the trees was the only noise made. He was sitting on the highest branches in one of the trees'. He was contemplating about the past as usual. Should he really have let Meier go? For all he knew letting him and Charlotte leave to the City of the Night could've been a bad idea, couldn't it? If he had stopped them would it have changed anything? His thoughts were interrupted by the annoying voice of his left hand.  
  
"Maybe you should have gone with them, D, you ARE a vampire after all." Left Hand interrupted D's thoughts with his own, it seemed he was listening in on the hunter's thoughts again. "I'm just saying if you went with them you probably wouldn't be so lonely, you could've found another Dunpeal or even a female vampire." he added.  
  
There was that word again. Dunpeal. It was what he was afterall. Half vampire. Half human. Living a life no one else has and will ever understand. He was hated by both races, the humans and vampires. The vampires because he hunted and killed his own kind. The humans because he was half vampire and that's all they cared about, it didn't matter that he was on their side, he was still a vampire in their eyes.  
  
The usually silent D finally spoke up, "I'm only half a vampire if you forgot, my work isn't done, there are still more vampires' here. Besides, I already know how it would've ended if I did go. I wouldn't find happiness there, not here, not anywhere."  
  
"Do you ever find a bit of joy anywhere?!?!" shouted his hand. "I'm wondering if you think up the things you say before you go to sleep at night! All you do is kill vampires for a living! That Leila girl probably would've been right for you, but no, you just had to shut your mouth and not say anything to her! Did you ever think she might have actually liked you?!" Left Hand continued to yell.  
  
D sighed and clenched his left hand into a fist, this was the only way to make Left Hand ever be quiet, besides putting his hand in the dirt, that always worked too. "I really doubt she did, if she did she would have said something. Anyway, she already got married, had a child, even a grandchild, and she's dead now. There's no use continuing this conversation." Left Hand made a muffled sigh and blended himself back into the skin of D's palm. D was glad, now he could think without his own hand bothering him and adding his own little, annoying comments from D's thoughts. D continued to reassure himself that it would've never worked out between him and Leila. He did admire her but he dismissed these thoughts. No one wanted him and no one ever would.  
  
Another thing that was stuck on his mind was what Carmila had said that night, "Are you the son of the Vampire King?" Of course he was, D knew this. Even though he was part human and part vampire he still didn't have the lust for blood the way his mother and father had. His urge for blood wasn't as strong as others were. What was he? Was he more of a vampire or more of a human? He had qualities of both, but either way neither of the two accepted him as their own. He was a forever lonely Dunpeal. D looked up towards the sky, he wondered sometimes what it would have been like if he did go to the City of the Night. Sometimes he wished he could go, but it was useless. What was the point? Wherever he went he didn't belong.  
  
D climbed down from the tree, he decided he had to visit Leila's grave. He often went there to think things through. He reached the soft earth and walked to his black horse, he untied it from a branch and climbed onto the saddle. "I knew you'd see it my way," chimed his left hand who appeared again around the cord of the horse's reign. D seriously thought cutting his hand off would really solve the problem with his left hand quickly.   
  
- - -


	2. Dusk and Her Embrace

Hey guys, what'd you think of chapter one? I know, it was a REALLY short chapter, but I wanted it kind of to be a prologue to the beginning of the fic. I promise this chapter will be longer though u.u You all get to meet one of my characters now :D Hope you like the chapter, please review. -Invader Nicole

P.S. : Sorry it took so friggin' long to update, I wanted to finish writing chapter three before posting chapter two. Squeek :P

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Hunter D or VHD Bloodlust, I only own Epiphany and Gwen.

- - - 

Chapter Two: Dusk and Her Embrace

By Invader Nicole

D arrived at the gravesight after a short while, it was still dark out, no one saw neither D nor his horse. He knelt down on the ground infront of the tombstone and pulled a white lily from his armor, laying the flower on the ground while resting his right hand against the slab of rock. He was glad the sun wasn't out and glad that Left Hand wasn't adding his own little comments to D, he surely would've loved to mock D for this small act of happiness around someone. He did miss Leila, he was thinking about their conversation during the rain storm. As he continued to remember that night D's horse neighed and was pawing at the ground with its hooves'.

D looked to his horse, it was staring at another part of the grave. This part of the grave had a burning candle next to it and person wearing a cloak looking over the flame. The clocked figure looked up, they also heard the racket D's horse was making. The person removed the hood of their black cloak, letting the candlelight cast an almost familiar aura around them. It was a woman with long, wavy chestnut colored hair, pale white skin, and wisteria purple eyes.

D looked at her with surprise, he couldn't figure out why, but he felt compelled to keep staring at her. Said girl was also staring at him. She looked so familiar to him, almost in a frightening way. He then realized the familiar stare atleast, that was the same stare Charlotte gave to Meier, he was giving the same one to the woman right now. The same longing stare Charlotte gave Meier when she wanted him to bite her neck and turn her into a child of the night, a vampire, casting away her innocence as a human. D knew this wasn't what the woman wanted, she didn't even know he was a vampire much less who he was.

"Say Something, D." 

D looked down to his left palm, Left Hand had appeared. By the looks of it he was invading D's thoughts again.

"No." 

"Why not?" Left Hand questioned.

Before D could say anything he heard a rustling noise and looked back towards the woman. She had risen from the ground and was walking away from the grave she had been at moments ago.

"Goddamnit D, follow her then," Left Hand hissed to the hunter.

"I doubt stalking will attract women." D responded nonchalantly. 

D decided to take Left Hand's advice though, he climbed his horse and quietly followed her. He followed her for about hour an hour until she stopped in an open meadow. He got off his horse and hid in the tall grass, watching her as he kneeled onto the soft earth. It looked as if she was waiting for someone. After a few minutes three men on horses' arrived. They wore strong armor, carried a sword at their sheathes, and looked both angry and pleased at the same time. One of them removed their helmet, the person had pale white skin and spiky, black hair, his dark eyes were narrowed at her. 

"Epiphany, I presume?" He asked the woman.

The woman looked up at him, her lilac eyes also narrowed. "Yes, now tell me what you want."

One of the other men got off their horse and took their sword from out of his sheathe. "We want you dead."

Her eyes' widened in surprise, she winced at their sneers of pleasure. Her hands closed into fists at her side, the nails digging into her palms.

"Why may I ask do you want me dead?"

The man standing walked towards her, the sword shining brilliantly in the moonlight and the sound of grass being stepped on was the only thing that could be heard. He stood infront of her, his cold, colorless eyes staring into her own. He raised his hand and swung it at her face, the 'smack' noise deafening everything around them. Epiphany stepped back, her hand caressing against the painful red mark and forming on her ivory-colored skin.

"Shutup, don't be stupid. You know what you've done." The man held the tip of the sword, holding the handle with the other free hand.

"I haven't done anything. If anything, your the ones who've done harm towards me." 

For the first time she looked towards them, her eyes trying to hold back the tears that wanted to be released. She wouldn't cry though, not infront of them, not infront of anyone. To cry was to show weakness and she couldn't do that, she never could.

"Towards me and my family."

She heard a click and looked up to see one of the men on the horses, he was aiming a gun at her. The barrel shined beautifully in the moonlght, hiding its real danger. 'Show no fear, show no fear, show no fear,' she kept telling herself that. The man standing infront of her raised his sword, the tip stopping an inch from her face. He slowly moved her light brown hair out of her face, cutting a few hairs with the blade.

"I really don't care what you think. My men and I have been given our orders, we have to kill you. Why our master wants you dead we don't care, as long as we get paid."

Epiphany's whole body was shaking now, her palms sweaty, the pain from her nails long forgotten. Her throat felt dry but she asked them one question in a quiet, timid voice.

"And who is your master?" she asked, already knowing their answer.

The man raised his sword over her head, the gleam shining in the moonlight.

"Meier Link."

Epiphany closed her eyes, awaiting the death that was sure to come. As the man began to lower his sword she swore she could hear a beating sound in the grass, someone or something was coming towards them. Fast. The next thing she heard frightened her, the quick sound of a sword when it comes in contact with human skin and tears the flesh apart. 'Am I dead yet?' she asked herself. She opened her eyes, expecting to see nothing but darkness surrounding her. Instead, Epiphany saw a body sprawled on the floor, it was the man holding the sword over her head moments ago. His body was cut in half at the waist, his blood flowing onto the ground. 'What happened?!' her thoughts were screaming.

It was then she noticed the shadow over her, her eyes looked upwards to see a man bathed in the pale moonlight, casting a bright aura around his body. His black armor shined, as did the midnight blue cape draped around him. A black aumish-like hat with a pearl on the side rested on his wavy dark brown, auburn hair, as it fell over his face, hiding half his ghost-like skin. His eyes, a mix of dark brown and amber, held her gaze for a moment. It was then she noticed the long sword in his sharp-nailed hand, the blade was covered in blood. She looked around, the other two men were gone. She kept her gaze on his face, trying to catch anything suspicious about him, she found nothing, only the mysterious and forlorn look in his eyes.

"Did you save me?" she finally asked as a few seconds passed.

"Yes." 

"Did you kill the man with the sword?"

"Yes." 

Epiphany almost choked at his response. This person, her savior, just killed a man yet he showed no concern or care for it. 'He acts like he does this on a regular basis,' she thought.. He did it with such force, the man was cut in half in mere seconds, she had barely heard him come towards them.

"Who are you?" 

"D, I'm a vampire hunter."

Epiphany began to back away from D. 'No, he's just like the others then.' She couldn't stay any longer, soon she'd be dead, lying on the floor just like the man was. His eyes, she couldn't help but stare into them. He never blinked, ever since she first saw him. She gasped, she remembered him now. D. He was the famous vampire hunter, the one that killed Carmila's spirit, the one who tried to save Charlotte. He began to walk towards her, putting the sword back into the sheathe at the same time.

"Go away," she demanded. "I know what you want from me."

D stopped walking towards her, she obviously didn't like him very much. "I don't understand what you mean." D noticed her eyes changed from surprise to anger quickly.

"What do you think?! Your a vampire hunter! Your just like those men that tried to kill me!" Epiphany yelled then looked away from D, she didn't want him to see her cry. "You want to kill me for the money, just like all the rest." She turned back to him, hopeing death would come quickly. 

D stared at her, a solemn look set into him. "Your not a vampire," he said simply.

Epiphany double-backed from this. "How do you know? You haven't even seen my fangs." 

D gave her a hard, cold stare before answering. "Any vampire would've fought against those men to protect their own life. You just stood there in fear. Your not a vampire, but your not a human either. You're a Dunpeal."

Epiphany couldn't help but gasp loudly at this. 'How'd he know?!' she kept asking herself. Her hands went to her face, covering her mouth. She'd just met D and already he knew her biggest secret. She knew now more than ever that she had to run, to get away from D before he found out anymore. 

"Smart move D," came the raspy voice from D's palm. He raised his left hand to Epiphany to show her not to be afraid. Epiphany's eyes widened, she tried to hold back a scream that was crying to escape. Her knees collapsed under her as she fell to the meadows floor. Left Hand's face wrinkled in disgust, "Nice move D, real smooth. We definitely need to work on your people skills." 

- - -

D stared into the flames of the fire he had prepared, wondering what to do. He had decided to stay in the meadow and rest for the remainder of the night, his horse needed resting as well. The fire burned brightly, relfecting everything around it. D looked toward Epiphany, it was then he noticed a few things he had missed before. She looked so much like Charlotte, almost like a twin. The only difference would be their eye and hair color. Epiphany's hair was a light shade of burnt sienna brown in a wavy pattern. Her eyes were closed but he remembered their pale purple color. She wore a long, white dress, D covered her in a dark purple cloak to protect her from the cold. He couldn't help but wonder though. 'Is Meier Link still alive? If so, why does he want this Dunpeal dead?' D decided he would ask her a few questions when she awoke, he'd be sure to introduce her to Left Hand later. Much later.

"That was a really stupid thing to do, D."

D looked at the palm of his left hand, the wrinkled face, two hollow black eyes and the mouth that somehow possessed teeth and a tongue. It never left him alone, he was lucky to have his own thoughts to himself sometimes.

"Your not exactly the most popular person on this planet if you haven't noticed. People usually run when they see you, or get the wooden stakes, torches, guns, pitchforks, and swords ready for your arrival. Call it a friendly greeting," said the hand.

D sighed in frustration, Left Hand had a point. Everywhere he went he was hated by all, whether it be a human or a vampire. He remembered what Carmila has said, he wished he could get rid of all those painful memories. He heard a soft groan and turned to see that Epiphany was awaking. Her hand came to rest on her forehead, brushing a few strands behind her ear. Her eyes landed on D, noticing his stare on her.

"Where am I?" Her voice was shaky, as if she were afraid of D.

"Your still in the meadow, you fainted after those men left." D lied about her fainting after meeting Left Hand, he'd mention that later.

"I remember now. Why did you stay and help me?"

D looked back towards the flames in the fire, his eyes appearing as if they were aflame. "The soldier said they were sent to kill you from their master, Meier Link. That's impossible, he's in the City of the Night."

"That still doesn't answer my question. Why did you save me?"

He turned away from the flames, his eyes meeting hers. "I want to know if he's actually here and why he wants you dead. I couldn't find him if you were dead, now could I? I'll need to keep you alive, no doubt he'll send others to try and kill you."

"Oh," she said with a hint of dissapointment.

"You're name is Epiphany, correct?" he asked after a pause of silence between the two.

"Yes, how did you know that? I don't remember telling you my name."

"The soldier asked you your name before he said he wanted to kill you. I was just checking if it was correct. Your name means 'a sudden intuitive realization or perception of reality.' Any reason why you have that name?" he asked out of nowhere.

"Yes, my dad told me that reality's a bitch and I'd have to deal with it sooner or later. That my name would serve as a constant reminder of this and that's why he named me that. What about you? That's 'D' stand for?"

A few seconds passed before D finally spoke. "I don't really know why my parents named me D, but I think I know why."

"Why?" she inquired.

D sighed and looked back into the flames, this conversation was only reminding him what he was trying to forget. "It's complicated to explain, you probaly wouldn't understand." 

Epiphany grew angry at this, her lilac eyes narrowing at the hunter. "I'm a Dunpeal, I have to live every day of my life knowing people either hate me or fear me. Your the one that doesn't understand. People respect you since you wipe out the vampire species. Your the one who would never understand, no one does," Epiphany said as she threw a twig into the fire, watching it burn. 

Time passed before D fianlly answered her, his voice remaining the same solemn, nonchalant voice it always had, despite what he was feeling inside. "Your wrong about that, I know what it's like to be hated and feared at the same time."

"By vampires?"

"No, by humans and vampires." D sighed, his eyes locking with hers, trying to get it through to her. "I think 'D' stands for Dunpeal. I am a Dunpeal. I know what it's like, I've lived many years, hated by both humans and vampires. I know exactly how you feel and more, I've lived through it all." 

Epiphany was silent for a few moments, 'He can't be a Dunpeal!' she thought. "I never knew, I'm sorry. I heard so much about you but never that you were a Dunpeal."

"There's a first, usually that's the first thing learn about me." D said followed by a small laugh. He stopped, his face had a look of surprise, since when did he ever laugh? "We should be getting some rest now, tomorrow we have a full day ahead of us. I hope you'll be prepared for it."

"Okay, Van Helsing."

D gave her a strange look before daring to ask. "Van Helsing?" 

Epiphany shrugged at his question. "Van Helsing was a hunter of vampires, werewolves, that stuff; so I'll call you that or D at times."

Usually D would've argued about this but he was too tired to try, he would talk to her in the morning about his new nickname. "Goodnight Epiphany." D said as he put the flames out and rested on the grass, letting the last stars shine before his eyes closed.

"Goodnight, D," Epiphany said to the already sleeping D.

- - -


	3. The Promise of Fever

What did you guys think of chapter two? Bad? Good? Did Epiphany seem Mary-Sue? Well, I'm still working on the plot and such, plus I thought up a sequel :D Wow, I only typed up two chapters and I'm already planning a sequel? Yes, I am that insane, and maybe a sequel to the sequel so we can all have a trilogy fic. I don't know yet, I'd like to hear what you guys think though. I'm sorry this took so long to update, school and so much other crap. Also, this is actaully the first time (other than my Lupin fic which is also update-lacking) that I post a fic before I actually finish writing it, so I'm updating each chapter as I go along, which is a first for me. I'm hopeing not to get writers block. Enjoy the chapter, also, I wrote this chapter while I was very low on Snapple (two instead of the usual five or six) so it might seem . . . weird. Yep. -Invader Nicole

Disclaimer: I don't own Vampire Hunter D/ Bloodlust, not really sure who owns it. 

- - -

Chapter Three: The Promise of Fever 

By Invader Nicole

The bright rays on sunlight were spread over everything in the valleys and meadows, the air was a nice breeze, adding to the blades of green grass that gave the area the 'spring' look. The sunlight casted what would be a wonderful day, if you weren't a Dunpeal or Vampire. The sun was high in the sky, the rays were striking directly over the meadows that held the two Dunpeals, still asleep, unaware of what was like the hand of death upon them. D was lost in his unconscious mind, not yet noticing the searing pain that was already started to build in his skin. Left Hand, already knowing this would happen, scolded D as he always did. 

"D! Wake up already! You know what happens when your in the sun too long!"

D's eyes snapped open, fully understanding the pain that had awaken him along with Left Hand's yelling. His skin felt as if someone had set it on fire, the burning sensation coarsed through his body, sending even more pain with every second he stayed in the sun. Burn marks were already appearing on his hands, small bursts of flames, signaling that if he didn't get out of the sun now he would surely burn to death. He tried to move but his body wasn't obeying him, saying it wanted to die in the sun, for all the misery to just end.

"I need to get out of the sun . . ." D whispered to himself.

Just as he was slowly regaining control over his body he remembered something he had almost forgotten. Epiphany. He turned, hopeing she had gotten out of the sun, but to his horror he saw one of her arms was already on fire. She could hear her whimper in pain, whispering what sounded like 'Please, let it come quickly, just let it end.' D whistled and in seconds his black horse came towards him, bending its neck downward, already knowing what to do. D grabbed at the reign and used all his strength to pull himself onto the saddle of the horse, trying his best to get a firm grip so as not to fall off. He pulled one side of the reign, telling the horse to go towards Epiphany. When they were near enough, D used his right hand to grab Epiphany around the waist and pull her onto the saddle, holding onto her, covering her from the sun.

He pulled on the horse's reigns and it began to move towards the trees', under the shade that had saved them. D limply got off the horse and dragged himself and Epiphany under the roots of a giant oak tree. D used his sword and hands to dig a hole, first burrying Epiphany to her neck, trying his best to help her. When he was done with her he started on his own hole, afterwards filling it up with the cool earth. He knew he needed to rest, trying to ignore the urge to scream in pain.

Before he left consciousness he heard Left Hand mutter something to him, "Now you know not to wear so much black and dark blue, try something a little lighter next time to deflect sunlight."

"Shut up" D said weakly before the darkness absorbed his sight and his head fell against the dirt.

- - -

D woke up the see the last rays of sunlight fade over the mountains, burning his eyes from sleep. The sun was gone, it was safe for them to go out in the open now, shadows soon fell over everything around him. He wondered how long he and Epiphany had been out for until the sun had finally caught them. He slowly lifted himself from the ground, wincing at the pain that befell his body. Being a vampire wasn't easy, sunlight being one of their few killers.

"Heat syndrome, D?" asked Left Hand.

"It was a mistake, I didn't realize we'd be in that field past sunrise." D brushed the clumped of dirt that hung to his armor, trying to ignore the pain in his arms. He knew he should rest until he fully healed, but he knew the dangers, far worse than sunlight, that lurked around.

"How's the girl?"

"I'm not sure," D said as he turned to the still sleeping Epiphany. If possible, her skin was even paler than before, a light blue color as beads of sweat dripped down her face.

"You might want to wake her up and ask, if that helps."

D nodded, deciding to try Left Hand's advice. He walked over towards Epiphany, kneeling next to the dirt that rested over her. His right hand reached out and brushed the few strands of hair that covered her eyes, tucking them behind her ears. He gently shook her while whispering 'wake up' with as much compassion he could. He usually would've been more aggressive, but they had been through enough, and he couldn't find himself to muster the energy. She made a groaning noise, mumbling 'five more minutes,' but D continued to try to wake her. After a few seconds her lilac eyes fluttered open, accustoming to the change in light, D's image clearing after a minute. He was kneeling next to her, his right hand still holding her shoulder, staring into his amber-colored eyes. 

"D?"

"Yes, it's me."

"What happened?" Epiphany asked wearily, trying to get up but then realizing she couldn't.

"Rest for a few minutes and let me explain." D sighed, he would've thought she'd known about heat syndrome by now. "Do yo remember us falling asleep in the meadow?"

"Yes."

"Well, we stayed there too long, 'til after the sun rose. I'm sure you're aware that the sunlight can kill vampires and dunpeals?"

"Yes." 

"The sunlight got to us and when we awoke, by then we were in such pain. if we stayed any longer we would've surely gone into a coma or even death."

Epiphany eyes widened as she tried to process this. D wondered if she had lied to him about not knowing the sunlight was a weakness to vampires. 'That's impossible, she must've known. Otherwise, where would she have lived before where there is no sun?'

"Antartica," came the reply from Left Hand.

D quickly stuck the palm left hand in the grass, almost forgetting that Epiphany knew nothing about the parasite. 

"What did you say?"

"Nothing," D replied. "I should be leaving now, I have a long way to go to get to the next town." D noticed when he said that she looked quite sad. "Something wrong?"

"No . . . yes, I don't have anywhere to go. Last night, when you rescued me, I was actually expecting to die. I have nowhere to go."

D stood up from the ground and walked towards his horse, climbing onto the saddle as he did. He comtemplated on what to do. 'Should I bring her with me? Or should I leave her?' He didn't really owe her anything, if anything she owed him. He had saved her, not once, but twice, from those men and from the sun. He looked out otwards the mountains, a light was beginnign to surround hem, the moon would be up soon. He had to make up his mind quick. He noticed Left Hand spitting out a few blades of grass from his mouth, sounding much like a cat trying to hack up a hairball. Left Hand gave his host an evil stare, "I'm not a vegetarian, D!" he whispered. "And anyway, I think we should leave her, she brought this on herself." 

"Well in that case," D said as he looked back towards Epiphany, who was still sitting on the ground. "Would you like to come with me then, as far as the next town atleast?" 

"What?!" Epiphany and Left Hand cried at the same time, not hearing the other. Epiphany blinked in surprise, could he truly help her with her real problem? "I'd love to, thanks, D." 

D's horse walked over towards Epiphany and stopped a few inches from her, D bent down and gently picked Epiphany up. He set her in behind him as he directed the black horse, holding his grip around the reigns. He nodded and the horse began to slowly ride away to where D directed. The sun was gone now and the moon was already halfway in the sky, making everything around him look like a beautiful, average night scene, hiding vampires, werewolves, and other horrors. D was glad for this, he preferred the night over day, even if the same dangers lurked in the night. Epipany slid her arms around D's waist and held onto him as they rode on, letting her head rest slightly on his upper back. D was shocked by this, but refrained from stopping the horse, he wasn't use to so much contact all at once. A few minutes of silence passed between the two before Epiphany finally asked him the question the had wanted to ask from the beginning.

"D? Can you promise me something? Something that you'll help me with out of friendship?"

D didn't know what to say, he had known this woman for such a short time and already she thought they had a friendship. He hadn't known anyone like that before. Could he truly trust her and help her with what she needed?

"Yes, I will. What do you need help with?" D ignored the mumbles only he could hear coming from Left hand. 

Epiphany sighed and leaned into D, still holding onto him as she prepared to tell him. "It started with Meier . . . "


	4. For Those Who Died

Hey guys, again I apologize for the lack of updates :( School, re-designing my room, plus I finally got 'Vampire Hunter D' and have been watching it for three days :D!!! I had no idea about the relationship thing between D and Doris (or anything else that happened for that matter . . .) nonetheless I love it and it has given me inspiration, my writer's block is gone! I really like this chapter, it;s a bit mushy, yes, but it was one of 'those moments.' I am a little upset though, why? Well, lets just say I dedicate this chapter to Osiris, my pet snake who died on the morning of November 22, 2004. Sad squeek . . . -Invader Nicole

Disclamier: I do not own Vampire Hunter D/ Bloodlust, I only own Epiphany, Gwen, and Damion. Is it just me or does this fic keep getting more characters?!

- - -

Chapter Four: For Those Who Died

By Invader Nicole

"What about Meier?"

"Meier . . . the second."

D blinked in shock, "What do you mean 'Meier the Second?' Does he have a son?"

"Yes, and two daughters," Epiphany said in a quiet voice, almost as if she didn't want to say it, D noticed. "I know the story, the whole story actually, about Meier and Charlotte. Before Meier fell in love with Charlotte there was another woman. She was a vampire like him, they had one child. A boy, she didn't want the child and left it and Meier. The boy's name was Damion Meier Link II."

It took D a minute to take this info in, the whole time he had been chasing Meier to save Charoltte he had never once seen a child with him. Where could he have kept Damion where it was safe? Could it have been . . . "Epiphany, where did they meet each other and live until they seperated."

"The City of the Night."

Of course, he was right. Meier must've met this vampire in the City of the Night, that was probably why he decided to take Charlotte. It was safe for them, they could stay there and be together, with no one to bother them. D kept his eyes on the trail ahead of him, trying to pay close attention of where they were heading and listening to Epiphany at the same time. "Go on, what else happened?"

"Well, as far as I know, Meier raised Damion until he was seven. He then learned of Charlotte, he left Damion in the care of a family of vampires he knew well. He left the City of the Night to get her. You know what happened from there, you tried to rescue her, but in the end Meier bit her."

"Yes," D said in a sloemn voice, remembering he had been unable to save her. "And then she died after the battle between me and Meier."

"No, she didn't . . ."

D pulled at the reigns and Epiphany held on tighter to him, not wanting to fall off from the horse's sudden halt. When the horse finally stopped and she thought D was more relaxed she turned to face him. "D? What's wrong?"

Epiphany saw the look of horror on D's face. His usually calm eyes were opened wide, dilating the black pupil and contrasting the amber-colred iris, making his eyes look as if they were glowing. "She couldn't possibly have lived, Meier bit her and she wasn't breathing at all afterwards."

"Exactly," replied Epiphany, looking out towards the crescent moon. "She was bitten, turned into a-"

"- a vampire," finished D.

"She lived because she was turned into a vampire. Usually people who have been bitten turn a vampire zombie or an underling for their master. But they were lovers, Meier knew she would live and that is why he chose for them to leave in the end."

D didn't say anything, he flicked at the reigns once and his ebony horse began to walk again at its normal, peaceful pace. D couldn't believe this. Charoltte had been alive, she had lived through the whole thing, and D thought she had died. He had given Charlotte's brother and father her ring, it told them what they feared, that she had died. D didn't know how to feel, basically he had lied to the family, not knowing what he must've put them through when he showed them the simple gold ring. What was he to do?

The little, all too familiar voice in his mind was saying "Forget about it, we got paid and that's all that matters. Besides, they're all dead. C'mon, you know that! How long ago was it, D? Twenty-eight?"

'That's right,' D thought. It had been a little over twenty-eight years, but not much. Twenty-eight years ago that he had fought against Meier, twenty-eight years ago he had tried to save Charlotte and return her to her family, twenty-eight years ago he had failed his mission. He needed to know more. "What else happened?"

Epiphany gave him a sympathetic look before continuing, hoping she was doing the right thing in telling him. "Meier and Charlotte were wed in the City of the Night and lived there for a while. Eight and half months later they had another child, Charlotte was already pregnant before she and Meier left and before she got bit, they had their first daughter."

"What was her name?"

Epiphany bit her lower lip before saying a secret she had never told anyone. "Epiphany Meier."

D's eyes, for the second time, expanded and made that eerie glow. His mouth stiffined, opening a few centimeters as his canine teeth began to grow at an alarming rate, getting sharper and more powerful with each centimeter. 'No,' D thought as he closed his mouth and shut his eyes tightly, trying with all his will power to keep it hidden away. For a moment, Epiphany could've sworn she saw his eyes change from amber to blood red, but just for a brief second. She saw that they returned to their normal color when he opened his eyes and softly panted, as did the color to his normal-y pale skin which was covered in a few beads of sweat. His eyes shifted to hers for a second then back to the direction the horse was walking in, acting as if nothing had happened. Epiphany thought she had seen something in his eyes, other then the departed from others look, it looked like . . . fear? No, D didn't look the type to ever be afraid of anything. Still, she saw something there, she knew it. No matter how much he had tried to hide it she knew what she had said definitely startled him.

"Continue."

Epiphany blinked in confusion before registering what he said, she continued on, trying not to show her shock while recalling the painful memories. "They had me twenty-eight years ago, by that time Damion was almost eight. Sadly, Charlotte died during child birth . . . my mother died giving birth to me. I was too young to understand then, but later on I learned by dad was devestated. He couldn't believe, he and Charlotte were finally together for a short while, and then she died because of me. He took Charlotte's body and a ship back to here. Before he left he said he's be back, that he'd only be gone to bury Charlotte's body in a proper burial place. There were no cemetaries in the City of the Night, vampires live thousands of years so there was no need. He left us, he left us for five years," she whispered, leaning against D for support.

"Five years?" D asked in disbelief. "Why was he gone so long?"

"To this day I'm still not sure. All I know is that when he came back me and Damion were at home, reading, the babysitters were cleaning around the house while watching us. Meier said they were dismissed and would get their pay the next day, they gladly left. He lifted his black cloak and out walked a human girl. She had raven black hair in tight curls falling over her fair skin, and hazelnut-colored eyes. Her name was Gwen."

"Who was she?"

"She was my sister, Gwen Meier."

"What?!" D turned to her, this was strange, even for him.

The raspy voice of Left Hand asked the question he was wondering, "What the hell?! Does Meier leave just to screw around and come back home with kids?!" D felt like forcing his left palm into a wall at full speed.

It was Epiphany's eyes turn to expand, inching away from D as she did. "What was that?!"

"I'll explain later," D replied, trying to drown out the maniacal laughter coming from his hand. He looked ahead, almost forgetting that they were riding the horse. "Look, we're already at the town."

Epiphany looked away from D, forgetting to explore and question D about where the voice came from. Indeed, they were at the next town, it looked small and desolate, with only a few houses and places for rent. They walked to the closest one, tieing the black horse to a tree near the building. As they walked in they both noticed the main room was small with puke green wallpaper, a sofa on one side, a desk on the other. A short white-haired, almost bald man greeted them as he looked up from his book, tilting his glasses up to the bridge of his nose as he talked. "What can I help you with?" he asked them in a feeble voice.

"We need a room for the night," stated D, pulling out a brown, leather pouch filled with gold currency to pay the man.

"Right then," the man said as he reached for something under the desk. D noticed this and sighed, some things never changed.

"There's no need for weaponry, sir. We just want to rent a room and we'll leave early in the moring before anyone knows we were here." D kept his all too familiar stare on the man, watching for any sign that the man might attack. After a few tense seconds the manager pulled a bronze key from his vest pocket, and handed it to D.

"That there key is to the top floor, where the moon shines the highest during the night. I hope it's to your liking, for what your paying me it's only fitting you should get the best." The man put away the gold D had given him for the room before going back to his reading.

D nodded and thanked the man, signaling Epiphany to follow him up the flight of stairs. As they walked, they talked in low voices, trying to make as little noise as possible. "Hey, D, how'd you know that guy had a weapon?"

"I've lived in this world long enough to know. If your a Vampire, or a Dunpeal, they will always pull out a weapon on you. If your human, they treat you like an equal. I wasn't surprised when I saw him reach under the desk, I told him we meant no harm and he accepted it."

"Oh," was all Epiphany could say. "By the way, what was the voice we heard while we were riding your horse?"

D tried to act casual, hopeing but knowing, that she was talking about Left Hand, who was happily cackling in D's mind at the mention of the incident when they first met. "What voice?"

"The raspy one that sounded like it belonged to something old and wrinkly. I know that wasn't your voice, so who's was it? It sounds so familiar."

D thought to himself for a few minutes, should he show her Left Hand, or shouldn't he? She would have to learn some time. Left Hand couldn't resist, but put his own two cents to what D was thinking.

"How do you know, D?" D was the only one who could hear the parasite, he had gained the ability to speak directly to him through his thoughts, able to have long conversations, even if he didn't want to. "It's not like she's going to be coming with us. Right? Why tell her about me if she's just staying with us 'til tomorrow? You said so yourself, she could come with us until we reached town. If you're going to have fun with her then do it tonight so we can leave tomorrow before anyone else notices."

D dug his long, sharp nails into the palm of his hand, silencing it and enjoying the muffled cursing he coud hear. It annoyed him greatly when Left Hand talked in a vulgar manner. He sometimes questioned why he put up with his sarcastic hand. That's right, he remembered now, in more than one occasion the hand had been quite useful in life or death situations. That's why, the hand was lucky, for is he was of no use; D would have torn him off long ago.

The two Dunpeals reached their room and opened it with the bronze key, which D decided to keep with himself. The man at the desk hadn't lied, the room was probably the best he had, and what a beauty it was at that. The walls were painted an ash grey color; casting shadows in the corners. A small bathroom was on the left side of the room, the tiles a tacky blue color. Next to the bathroom door was a beige burea with an oval mirror. There was a single bed in the center of the room; raven black sheets and fluffy white, comfortable-looking pillows. In front of the bed was a blood red rug, a celtic design sewn into it. On each side of the bed were two glass-less windows, they each held deep red drapes blowing in the night wind. On the right side of the wall was a room with the largest window, the window that could see all the land that surrounded the hotel. A rectangular wooden box sat under the window, so that anyone could sit on the box and stare out the window for countless hours.

Epiphany walked into the room, admiring the simpliciy of it. Back at her home in the City of the Night everything was done elegantly, made to be perfect to what Meier liked. She loved how plain everything looked, it almost made her forget she was the daughter of one of the most powerful vampires to ever exist; other than Dracula of course. She slipped off her purple cloak and let it fall onto the sheets of the bed, as she walked to the bathroom and closed the door behind her and D heard the running of water. D walked inside and left the brown messenger bag that held some of his possession fall onto the floor. He took off the sheathe of his sword and laid it out onto the burea, making sure it was nearby incase he needed it. He removed his dark blue cape, along with his ebony armor, laying it out on the burea for tomorrow. The bathroom door opened and he watched as Epiphany walked out, drying off her face and hair with a paby blue towel. It was then that he noticed that she'd been wearing the same dress ever since they met, even now as her body was cold from her shower she wore that dress.

"Aren't you cold?" he asked her finally.

"What?" she asked, snapping out of a daze.

"You've been wearing that dress ever since we met, which was almost three days ago."

Epiphany raked her then fingers, through her hair, curling a lock of hair around her finger as it was already drying in its natural wave. "Well, when I arrived here I was attacked by humans and they destroyed everything I brought with me, including my clothing, except for this dress. The next day, I met you, and so our adventure began. I don't mind being in this dress though."

"Don't be insane, you'll catch your death if you go to sleep with your hair wet in such a dress. If you want, you may borrow some clothes from me until you can buy some more, I have extra."

"Oh . . .okay then, thank you, D."

"It's no problem," D said as he reached for the messenger bag. He opened it and brought out a black pants and shirt. He always brought extra clothes, he did since he usually wore his armor most of the time. He handed Epiphany the clothes and turned away as she began to change. When she was done D saw her in his pants and shirt that were much too big on her, but would do just fine for the night.

Epiphany walked over to the window, sitting down on the rectangular box and clutching her legs to herself as she stared out the window. D couldn't stop himself from staring at her, her skin glowed in the moonlight and her eyes sparkled as she looked at the stars, radiating her beauty, as her long, wavy hair blew in the wind. To him, she looked like a goddess of the night. A goddess in black clothing, that glowed in the night, and shared what he was, a Dunpeal, they were both the same and he was happy for that.

"Where did all the mushy stuff come from, D?" asked Left Hand through D's mind.

D blinked in shock, how long had he been like that? For once he was glad Left Hand had interrupted him from something. He walked over to Epiphany, sitting opposite of her on the box, not staring out the window, but at her. He leaned against the window pane and closed his eyes, he could sit there for hours, not having to change a thing. He felt a sudden pressure on his chest, he opened his eyes and looked to see Epiphany laying against him. He didn't say anything though, or shift positions. He was comfortable this way.

"D?" Epiphany said after a few minutes of relaxation.

"Yes?"

"When will you tell me what that voice was? It's been bothering me for a while already."

"Tomorrow," D said, ignoring the snickering from Left Hand, he had ruined the moment without even trying. "After you tell me the rest of your story, you left off when Meier came back with your sister, Gwen."

"Right, we'll continue tomorrow. I'm quite tired, I think I'll go to sleep now."

Epiphany got up from her resting spot on D and walked to the bed, followed by D, who was already making a makeshift bed on te floor with a pillow and an extra bed sheet. "What are you doing?"

"Making my bed," replied D.

"You can sleep in this bed with me, D." Epiphany said in a tone that was stating the obvious. "You paid for the room, if anything I should be sleeping on the floor."

"No," D said quickly. "We can both use the bed then," D said as he brought back the black sheets and got into them, resting his long, auburn/brown hair against the pillow. He watched Epiphany as she got into the bed, facing him as she rested her head against the pillow, staring back at him. "Goodnight, D," she said as she closed her eyes and leaned into D.

D closed his eyes and let Epiphany do as she wished, "Goodnight, Epiphany."

Before D fully went to sleep he heard Left Hand muttering in a disappointing tone. "Listen, D, I just want you to know something. No matter what happens, don't let her get too close yet, I don't want to see you getting hurt. Okay?"

D merely mumbled something and let his mind wander, not sure if he heard Left Hand correctly, only knowing that he was happy right now and hoped to stay that way.


End file.
